Workers in New Zealand's capital Wellington have been told to stay away from the CBD this morning as officials check the extent of damage from yesterday's strong earthquake.

Streets are cordoned off and rail services have been suspended as structural engineers inspect buildings rattled by the magnitude 6.5 quake.

"The light of day will provide us with a better picture. We encourage you to check on your neighbours and look after one another," Wellington's Emergency Management Office said on its Facebook page.

A series of quakes has struck off the wine-growing region of Marlborough over the past few days, about 40 kilometres south-west of Wellington, but Sunday's quake was the strongest, shattering windows in the capital, crumbling facades and damaging ceilings.

Wellington's Emergency Management Office has asked residents to avoid the CBD until at least midday while officials inspect buildings.

"If you suspect your building has suffered damage, the building owner should contact an engineer to have it inspected before anyone operates out of the building," it said.

Residents have been warned to expect disruptions to some services due to staff not coming in, and the city's Massey and Victoria universities are both closed.